It is known in the art that the widespread use of helicopters on-board ships poses the need for performing transportation of a helicopter from a landing area, provided on the deck itself, to inside a hangar situated on the deck of the ship itself.
This operation, however, is particularly complicated on account of several factors which result in a high degree of unpredictability as regards both the landing position on the deck and the relative position of the helicopter, the deck itself and the hangar entrance; in addition, the manoeuvre must be able to be carried out in total safety, as regards both the helicopter and personnel involved, even in very precarious conditions caused for example by strong winds and/or rough seas, resulting in pitching and rolling of the ship and an unstable equilibrium of the helicopter.
There are also known in the art some solutions which involve the use of a carriage movable, on the deck, in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ship and to which the helicopter must be hitched up after landing so that the carriage itself is able, by means of suitable devices, to transport the helicopter to the hangar.
Although fulfilling their purpose, these known devices have some limitations particularly with regard to the large dimensions which characterize them and which represent an obstacle for the operations involving checking and maintenance of the helicopter wheels once the helicopter has been brought inside the hangar.